In Memoriam
Daniel Gasteiger
February 23, 1958- June 1, 2017
Daniel was a passionate advocate for communicating the benefits of gardening across the many digital channels to which he contributed. He was a well-known contributor to blogs and social media sites under his alter ego, Cityslipper. His avatar was described as“ an avid gardener enjoying rural life while espousing the merits of gardening, family, golf, billiards, technology, dogs and writing.” He wrote about every single one those topics but not necessarily in that order.
Soon after he joined GWA, we shared a phone conversation where his enthusiastic and often prescient pronouncements about what we needed to do to bring our association into the modern age, allowed me to dream of the day where we’ d have a database-driven membership list; grand, new web-based member portals; several blogs; news groups, and focused online chats. Daniel used words that I needed a computer at hand to define.
He graduated from Cornell University in 1982— almost a decade after I had left. But his roots were in Ithaca, New York. Only over the past three years had Daniel moved his father out of his boyhood home and packed up the ephemera of his youth. We shared many experiences of our‘ life on the hill above Cayuga’ s waters.’ I believe that’ s what I remember most about Daniel: Constancy and continuous connection to his threads of life. He was one of my truest and most dependable of friends. His voice was the continuous nudge to complete the project today. Organize your thoughts, order your process and get it done! Just like those experiments I’ d had with my first-ever challenge of corporate database analytic software— Lotus 1-2-3.
Daniel started his professional career as an editor for the Lotus Development Corporation. He pioneered an era of corporate management analysis with several early books and subsequent updated editions about Lotus 1-2-3. After leaving Lotus, he consulted with a diverse spectrum of industries and associations, including IBM, Proctor & Gamble and Harvard University. Most impressively, he worked with CSSI Inc., a corporate partner with government and commercial clients to ensure that transportation systems are designed, equipped and managed to safely and efficiently move people and materials. Daniel had always been somewhere close to the cutting edge.
His singular contribution to the published world of garden communication echoed his commitment to life: Yes, You Can! While talking about his garden-to-table preservation recipes, the book is a compendium of common-sense basics that frame an historic American ethic as well as a way life.
Daniel’ s contributions to GWA are brilliant. In the spring of 2012, his was the first all-day workshop on social media. He served on many of the original committees and task forces that resulted in our extensive rebranding and digital recreation in the winter of 2015-2016. He gave a name and an identity to our blog. He served with Ann McCormick and C. L. Fornari as GWA’ s digital collaborators. He was the Internet and social media consultant who I had always wished could take on plenipotentiary powers.
As recently as two months ago, he had asked to run for a GWA board seat and began creating a new GWA Blog that will include vendors, sponsors and exhibitors. Daniel was also planning his next self-published e-book. He was always available for an hour or a day to consult on making a career in this new digital world. His was a voice that helped all of us to grow our technical knowledge as well as our businesses.
He and Scott Hokunson were co-founders and administrators of the Facebook group The Business of Garden Writing. Daniel’ s most eloquent communication was a series of articles published by The Lewisburg Daily Item titled,“ Dire Diagnosis,” which clinically but humorously details his 16-month life with pancreatic cancer treatment. His online presence will be greatly missed. Just weeks before this obituary, the Honors Committee named him a GWA Fellow and was waiting for the general release of other names for the official announcement.
He is survived by Stacy, his wife of 30 years; father, Edgar Gasteiger of Ithaca; children, Matthew, Callum and Cassidy; brothers, Kirpal, Kris and Eric. Many friends and colleagues gathered in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, June 4 to celebrate an amazing life well lived.
Beverley McDonnell Tanem
May 31, 1930- June 3, 2017
— Kirk R. Brown, President of GWA
Beverley McDonnell Tanem of Novato, California, was best known to garden writers as the constant companion of Bob Tanem at many GWA conferences. The couple met while students at University of California-Berkeley and were married for 63 years. Survivors include Bob, children Bill, Kathy and Edie, and four grandsons. Bev taught special education students at San Rafael High School, where in 2006, she was inducted to its Hall of Honor for volunteering for more than 34 years after her retirement. While teaching and mothering her children, she worked alongside Bob at Tanem’ s Garden Center’ s two stores, including keeping the books for more than 35 years. She also helped with Bob’ s In the Garden on KSFO-AM radio. Contributions may be made to Dedication to Special Education, c / o Marin County Office of Education, P. O. Box 4925, San Rafael, CA 94913.
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